Odhams Encyclopaedia of Needlecraft Illustrated (n.d., early 1950s, first edition): Review (part 1)

 

Yet another boring date with Captain Batrachian. If he wasn’t careful, she’d shove his trans-dimensional tentacles down his throats.

Intergalactic travel wasn’t all she’d hoped for.

This first edition is a fantastic book it not only has a chapter on drafting patterns, it also includes sewing, making accessories embroidery, knitting, crochet, toy making and home decorating. The other amazing thing is that it is still readily available for a reasonable price.

There are some colour and monochrome photos, along with numerous line drawings. Of course, my goal is to select a project from the pattern drafting section and sew it up. As I am not planning to attend any retro-SF conventions in the near future I’ll save the dinner frock (shown above) for later.

The boned Victorian corset-style belt in silk or velvet adapted to a “normal waistline of 27 ins” is intriguing but perhaps a little too challenging for me to either make or wear. This scan of a model wearing the original 17 inch version just doesn’t do it justice:

Perhaps the shirt dress? I’ll discuss the pros and cons of this project soon.